1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a KVM switch which is connected between a plurality of consoles and a plurality of computers, as well as a method for controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a system console apparatus having a data input and output controller 2 connected to four computers 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D, and a display terminal device 3 executing the input and output of data through the data input and output controller 2 with each computer 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D. In this case, the format of a display screen is designated by a screen display changeover switch 4 so that the display screen to be displayed on the display terminal device 3 can be switched (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-67289).
Further, conventionally, there has been known a computer-switching apparatus which executes multicast of the operation information of a keyboard and a mouse to any number of computers in a plurality of computers connected to the computer-switching apparatus, and displays the VGA output of the any number of computers on a single display (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2006-221292).
Conventionally, there has been known a KVM (K: keyboard, V: video, M: mouse) switch which switches any one of a plurality of consoles to another console, and connects the another console to any one of a plurality of computers (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-509947). In this case, each console is comprised of a keyboard and a mouse.
Further, conventionally, there has been known a KVM switch which includes a console port, a plurality of slots that are attachable modules having a plurality of ports for connecting computers, and a front panel that selectively switches the connection between a port to which the computers is connected and a peripheral device (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-18135).
As described above, the techniques of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-67289 and 2006-221292 display the output of the plurality of computers on a single display. The technique of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-509947 switches the console used for each computer to another console. The technique of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-18135 selectively switches a computer used with a set of console from the plurality of computers.
However, in the KVM switches of Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2001-67289, 2006-221292, 2005-509947, and 2005-18135, the monitor for which each computer can be used is only one, and cannot adapt to a multi-monitor environment, the use of which has begun to spread in recent years.